Chapter 113
This psalm recounts some of the wonders of the exodus from Egypt.
1Praise the Lord! Offer praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the Name of the Lord.
2May the Name of the Lord be blessed from now and to all eternity.
3From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Name of the Lord is praised.
4The Lord is high above all nations; His glory transcends the heavens.
5Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high
6 [yet] looks down so low upon heaven and earth!
7He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the destitute from the dunghill,
8to seat them with nobles, with the nobles of His people.
9He transforms the barren woman into a household, into a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 114
This psalm explains why the tribe of Judah merited kingship.
1When Israel went out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a people of a foreign tongue,
2Judah became His holy [nation], Israel, His domain.
3The sea saw and fled, the Jordan turned backward.
4The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.
5What is the matter with you, O sea, that you flee; Jordan, that you turn backward;
6mountains, that you skip like rams; hills, like young sheep?
7[We do so] before the Master, the Creator of the earth, before the God of Jacob,
8Who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flintstone into a water fountain.
Chapter 115
A prayer that God bring this long exile to an end, for the sake of His Name-that it not be desecrated.
1Not for our sake, Lord, not for our sake, but for the sake of Your Name bestow glory, because of Your kindness and Your truth.
2Why should the nations say, "Where, now, is their God?”
3Indeed, our God is in heaven; whatever He desires, He does.
4Their idols are of silver and gold, the product of human hands.
5They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
6they have ears, but cannot hear; they have a nose, but cannot smell;
7their hands cannot touch; their feet cannot walk; they can make no sound in their throat.
8Those who make them will become like them-all who put their trust in them.
9Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
10House of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
11You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
12The Lord who is ever mindful of us, may He bless: May He bless the House of Israel; may He bless the House of Aaron;
13may He bless those who fear the Lord, the small with the great.
14May the Lord increase [blessing] upon you, upon you and upon your children.
15You are blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
16The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth He gave to the children of man.
17The dead cannot praise the Lord, nor any who descend into the silence [of the grave].
18But we will bless the Lord from now to eternity. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 116
This psalm contains magnificent praises to God. It also describes David's love for God, in light of all the miracles He performed for him. David does not know how to repay God, declaring it impossible to pay back for all God has done for him.
1I would love if the Lord would listen to my voice, to my supplications;
2if He would turn His ear to me on the days when I call.
3The pangs of death encompassed me and the misery of the grave came upon me; I encounter trouble and sorrow.
4I invoke the Name of the Lord, "Lord, I implore you, deliver my soul!”
5The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is compassionate.
6The Lord watches over the simpletons; I was brought low, and He saved me.
7Return, my soul, to your tranquility, for the Lord has bestowed goodness upon you.
8For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
9I shall walk before the Lord in the lands of the living.
10I had faith even when I declared, "I am greatly afflicted";
11[even when] I said in my haste, "All men are deceitful.”
12How can I repay the Lord for all His beneficences to me?
13I will raise the cup of deliverance and proclaim the Name of the Lord.
14I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.
15Grievous in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones.
16I thank you, Lord, that since I am Your servant, I am Your servant the son of Your maidservant, You have loosened my bonds.
17To You I will bring an offering of thanksgiving, and proclaim the Name of the Lord.
18I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people,
19in the courtyards of the House of the Lord, in the midst of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 117
This psalm of two verses alludes to the Messianic era, when the Children of Israel will enjoy their former glory. All will praise God, in fulfillment of the verse, "All will then call in the Name of God."
1Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.
2For His kindness was mighty over us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 118
This psalm describes David's immense trust in God. It also contains many praises to God, Who has fulfilled that which He has promised us.
1Offer praise to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting.
2Let Israel declare that His kindness is everlasting.
3Let the House of Aaron declare that His kindness is everlasting.
4Let those who fear the Lord declare that His kindness is everlasting.
5From out of distress I called to God; with abounding relief, God answered me.
6The Lord is with me, I do not fear-what can man do to me?
7The Lord is with me among my helpers, and I will see [the downfall of] my enemies.
8It is better to rely on the Lord than to trust in man.
9It is better to rely on the Lord than to trust in nobles.
10All the nations surrounded me, but in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
11They surrounded me, they encompassed me, but in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
12They surrounded me like bees, yet they shall be extinguished like fiery thorns; in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
13You [my foes] repeatedly pushed me to fall, but the Lord helped me.
14God is my strength and song, and He has been a help to me.
15The sound of rejoicing and deliverance reverberates in the tents of the righteous, "The right hand of the Lord performs deeds of valor.
16The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord performs deeds of valor!”
17I shall not die, but I shall live and recount the deeds of God.
18God has indeed chastised me, but He did not give me up to death.
19Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them and praise God.
20This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous will enter it.
21I offer thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have been my deliverance.
22The stone which the builders scorned has become the chief cornerstone.
23From the Lord has this come about; it is wondrous in our eyes.
24This is the day which the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice on it.
25We implore You, Lord, deliver us. We implore You, Lord, grant us success.
26Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord; we bless you from the House of the Lord.
27The Lord is a benevolent God and He has given us light; bind the festival offering with cords until [you bring it to] the horns of the altar.
28You are my God and I will praise You, my God-and I will exalt You.
29Praise the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting.
Tehillim Ohel Yoseph Yitzchok,
published and copyright by Kehot Publication Society.
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